Brammo Empulse, a 100 mph electric motorcycle

SAN FRANCISCO (CNNMoney) -- Designing an electric motorcycle with mass market appeal is a difficult task. Designing an electric motorcycle that tops out at 100 mph minus the clunky battery and a short range is an even bigger challenge.

Enter Brammo. The Oregon company just unveiled its Empulse line of electric motorcycles that can go as fast as 100 mph and boast a hundred mile range on a full charge.

Starting at about $17,000, the Empulse is more expensive than comparable gas models but Brammo says customers are likely to recoup some cost over the life of the bikes because electricity is cheaper than gas. The Empulse uses the same charging stations used by GM's (GM, Fortune 500) Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

Craig Bramscher, Brammo's CEO says the Empulse is the "Tesla (TSLA)" of electric motorcycles, alluding to the bike's combination of design and range.

The Empulse is the first model that Brammo hasaimed at the mass-market since the company launched in 2002.